Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

GONG

Avant-garde rock band formed by Daevid Allen (b Melbourne, Australia). In Paris early '60s he published poetry, collaborated with beat poets Ferlinghetti, Ginsberg and novelist William Burroughs, etc. Then to Canterbury UK and Majorca; met Mike Ratledge, Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers; formed Soft Machine, left band '68 when refused permission to re-enter UK. Returned to Paris, improvised with other musicians, Gong being formed as a result of sessions incl. those for his LPs Magick Brother, Mystick Sister '69, Banana Moon '71. First Gong LP was Camembert Electrique '71 on Byg; same year band did film soundtrack Continental Circus. Appeared at Glastonbury Fayre '72 and on Revelation LP of festival bands; lineup was Allen, guitar and vocals; Gilli Smyth, space whisper; Tim Blake, synths; Steve Hillage, guitar; Mike Howlett, bass; Didier Malherbe, sax; Pierre Moerlen, drums. Music was mixture of rock, jazz, hippy mythology, not without charm; members hid at times behind whimsical pseudonyms, Allen being Bert Camembert, the Alien Australian, etc; Malherbe Bloomdidio Bad De Grasse and so on. Signed to Virgin: trilogy of LPs on tales of Planet Gong, pot head pixies etc: Radio Gnome Invisible Part 1 (Flying Teapot), Angel's Egg and You '73--4, the music becoming funkier as the tale went on. Allen quit the group '75, went to Majorca to work on Planet Gong book, also recording with local band Euterpe on Good Morning. Gong continued with new members such as Allan Holdsworth on guitar, Moerlen taking over leadership; Virgin LPs Shamal and Gazeuse '76--7 followed by disagreement with label: Virgin released album of concert clips with varying personnel Gong Live '77 and the band retaliated with Gong Is Dead '77 on Tapioca with classic lineup incl. Allen under pseudonyms, members still under contract to Virgin appearing on the sleeve with faces blanked out. Last Virgin LP Expresso II '78; signed with Arista, by now much changed in style and personnel, made LPs Downwind, Time Is The Key, Pierre Moerlen's Gong Live, split early '80s. Allen meanwhile moved to NYC, made LPs Now Is The Happiest Time Of Your Life '77, Daevid Allen N'Existe Pas '78, New York Gong-About Time '79, Playbax '80, various EPs mainly on Charly in UK, which also issued Fairy Tale '80 by Mother Gong, a band formed by Gilly Smith and guitarist/vocalist Harry Williamson to re-create original Gong aura (Malherbe also played on it); also Robot Woman '81 during and immediately after Glastonbury Festival, and Robot Woman 2 '82 on Butt. After around 30 albums Shapeshifter '97 on Viceroy reunited them with Allen. Youremixed '97 on Gliss was two-CDs remixing You '74, with the Orb, Shamen etc showing Gong's infl. on avant-garde pop.